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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27827974">On the Run</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikaylaSarae/pseuds/NikaylaSarae'>NikaylaSarae</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sweater Verse [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alien!AU, Alien!Janus, Alien!Virgil, Blood, Extra Limbs, captivity mention, child!Janus, injuries</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:20:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,162</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27827974</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikaylaSarae/pseuds/NikaylaSarae</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When life gives you an escape attempt, you run as fast and as far as you can to get away.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sweater Verse [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2017345</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On the Run</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A Prequel Moment for my other Fic: The Sweater. </p>
<p>Cross-posted from my Tumblr account @stillebesat.</p>
<p>December Drabble Day 1</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Run. </em>
</p>
<p>AnXie stumbled in the death white--<em> the snow-- </em> that was cold enough to the touch that he was sure even the mighty <em> Illec </em> warriors would succumb to the freezing temperatures if not to the constantly falling flakes from the sky pelting their skin. He shuddered, breath wisping out in front of his face as three of his now blue-tinged arms tightened around little DeCei’s trembling body, his fourth hand keeping pressure on the jagged metal spear that had embedded itself into his side. A wound he would need to look at soon if he had any hope of preventing infection from setting in from the Earthly microbes that seemed to cover every inch of this <em> raze </em>awful place. </p>
<p>
  <em> Run.  </em>
</p>
<p>He flinched as yet another explosion sounded in the distance behind him where he hoped that the transport carrier--<em> semi truck-- </em>would burn until nothing but a twisted husk was left. </p>
<p>
  <em> Run.  </em>
</p>
<p>Before their captors regained consciousness. Before they realized their <em> test subjects </em>hadn’t died in the crash but escaped.</p>
<p>
  <em> Run.  </em>
</p>
<p>He drew in a shaky breath, lungs screaming at him, unused to the oxygen rich air even after the four lunar cycles he and DeCei had spent on this awful Deathworld of a planet since an unexpected solar flare from the nearby sun had disrupted their navigation systems sending their ship into a death spiral that he, with his extensive piloting experience, had barely been able to break them out of. </p>
<p>Not in enough time to properly land though. Barely with enough time to prevent the ship from disintegrating upon impact. </p>
<p>AnXie forced his darting legs -the four long <em> spider-like </em> limbs sprouting from his back- to keep moving as he wove through the trees, aiming to keep his more <em> human </em> looking body and legs lifted up off the ground so that those larger feet wouldn’t leave tracks in that awful <em> snow </em> that a half blind <em> Paelex </em>could easily follow. </p>
<p>
  <em> Run.  </em>
</p>
<p>AnXie risked a glance over his shoulder, grimacing as his ears caught the faint sound of sirens in the distance heading towards the black plume of smoke standing out against the grey cloud covered sky. </p>
<p>That wasn’t a good sign. To have the humans already sending aid to the toppled vehicle meant that there were more of the fleshlings nearby, possibly even a settlement which meant there was a higher chance he and DeCei would be found and recaptured. </p>
<p>
  <em> Run. </em>
</p>
<p>AnXie gritted his teeth, forcing his shaking legs to keep running, fourth hand doing it’s best to staunch the flow of blood to avoid leaving a trail. He couldn’t let that happen. Not to DeCei. He was far too young to be dealing with--with---</p>
<p>The youngling whimpered as another round of sirens started their wailing cry somewhere in front of them. “Annie?” He asked, wiggling in his grip, looking up with his bright mismatched eyes. “We’ll be <em> safe </em>now right?” </p>
<p>AnXie exhaled, wincing as the movement twinged the spear sticking out from his side before pressing a quick kiss to the youngling’s forehead. “That’s the plan, Dee.” Though they wouldn’t be safe until he could track down a ship to get them off planet. “We just need--”</p>
<p>They both tensed as a faint hum of a hovercraft reached their ears. </p>
<p>
  <em> RUN.  </em>
</p>
<p>He bolted through the trees, head on a swivel looking for something, <em> anything </em>to help them get away.</p>
<p>But if their captors were already <em> awake </em> and coming after them he didn’t have much time before--AnXie skidded to a stop at the edge of the treeline, cursing under his breath as he stared at the <em> city </em> laid out before him, the faint hum of an active early morning community reaching his sensitive ears. He’d known the humans had larger settlements than the average <em> Quixx </em> but <em> this?! </em> It was like staring at a <em> Yuzewi </em>hive magnified tenfold. </p>
<p>And here he’d been hoping that stupid <em> semi truck </em> had crashed far <em> far </em>away from whatever facility his captors were transporting them to.</p>
<p>
  <em> Run.  </em>
</p>
<p>But where?! Sure he could fold his darting legs flat against his back to keep them from being as visible and walk around like any other human, but neither he nor DeCei had the right clothing to hide their extra limbs, let alone hide the fact that he was injured. Humans were quick to notice things out of the ordinary. They couldn’t hid--</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>AnXie pressed his lips together, eyes narrowing as he looked around. <em> He </em> couldn’t hide. But DeCei was small. Easily overlooked. Especially in the shadows. If he could--AnXie tensed his darting legs and jumped, aiming for a large <em> pine </em>tree with branches all the way to the ground. </p>
<p>No one would be looking for DeCei because they’d assume that AnXie had him. He had been rather protective of the youngling in that stupid lab. They would know he wouldn’t willingly leave him behind.</p>
<p>And by the time they realized they’d separated...the falling <em> snow </em>should help to obscure his tracks. </p>
<p>“Dee. Stay here.” AnXie whispered, ignoring how the needles from the tree jabbed into his frozen skin as he spread the branches with one hand, placing DeCei into the empty space within as close to the trunk as he could manage. </p>
<p>DeCei cried out, four of his hands grabbing at him as he went to pull away. “You CAN’T <em> Leave </em>!”</p>
<p>He didn’t want to. But they had no time! He forced himself to smile in a confident manner, meeting the youngling’s shimmering eyes. “Shh shh. You need to be brave, Dee. Like the <em> Illecs, </em>okay?”</p>
<p>DeCei shook his head, bottom lip trembling. “<em> Safe! </em> You promised!” </p>
<p>“And you--<em>we </em>will be. But they can’t find you.” He ran a thumb along the youngling’s scaled cheek. “Stay here. Don’t come out until it’s <em>Safe.</em>” Until he could come back for him.  </p>
<p>“<em>Safe? </em>” The youngling drew in a shuddering breath, hands clenching before he crossed all his arms in a quick gesture before stepping back. “Be quick, Annie.” </p>
<p>AnXie bowed his head, mimicking the gesture as best he could with three arms. “I will.” He let the branches fall back into place as he stood, a quick glance ensuring that he hadn’t made any obvious signs of being there before he jumped back to his original stopping point and took off running along the treeline in the opposite direction of DeCei. He circled halfway around the open space where some humans had already gathered to point at the smoke in the sky before darting back deeper into the woods. </p>
<p>No matter what. He grimaced, forcing his aching limbs to move faster despite how he could feel the cold temperatures making his movements more sluggish, his fourth hand trembling on the metal shrapnel as the humming sound drew nearer, easily following the trail he left for his captors even as he zigzagged back towards the human settlement then away again, hoping to muddle the trail. No matter what. He would return to DeCei. They would get back <em> home. </em>Together. </p>
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